Since discovering the convenience of eSIMs, I’ve been wanting to try out various brands to find out which has the best product. Kite.Mobi is a newcomer in the eSIM industry and there wasn’t anything online about the brand. Curious, I decided to give Kite.Mobi a try as some product features seemed too good to be true. Read on for my full Kite.Mobi review

In this Kite.Mobi Review

Kite.Mobi eSIM Products

Kite.Mobi currently offers local, regional and global eSIMs. Prices differ based on the validity period and the amount of data you purchase.

• Local eSIMs — these cover 1 country
• Regional eSIMs — these cover multiple countries in a region, good if you’re visiting a few neighbouring countries/cities. For example, the Europe regional eSIM covers multiple European countries.
• Global — the global eSIM covers 142 countries at the time of writing; not every country is covered, read up on which countries are covered

Coverage (No. Of Countries)

As of the time of writing, Kite.Mobi offers eSIMs coverage in 160 countries.

Kite.Mobi Review

Advantages Of Using Kite.Mobi (What I liked)

Local eSIM works In Multiple Countries

One of my favourite features of Kite.Mobi is that the local eSIMs offer coverage for more than just the country you’ve purchased for. For example, the Malaysia eSIM works in 62 countries, such as Australia, Singapore, Indonesia and even some European cities such as Portugal and Austria.

I was initially skeptical of this, but the eSIM worked the moment I set it up in Singapore. The advantage of this is that you will be able to know if your eSIM works before getting to your destination. This means that you don’t have to risk getting stranded in your destination without Internet connection. Many local Kite.Mobi eSIMs seem to cover over 60 countries at the time of writing and is likely that the eSIM covers the country you’re jetting of from.

Update: As of August 2024, local eSIMs seem to only work in 1 country

Potential Cost Savings

Having many countries covered by a local eSIM also means that you can potentially save some money. For example, purchasing the local Malaysia eSIM costs US$4 for 1GB for 7 days validity, while getting an Asia regional eSIM costs US$4.50 for 1GB for 7 days validity. You can use this to your advantage if you’re travelling to Asian countries covered by the Malaysia eSIM.

Hotspot

Kite.Mobi eSIMs are hotspot-enabled, so you can also share data with a friend or across your other devices. Very useful if you’re a remote worker like me!

Disadvantages Of Using Kite.Mobi (What I didn’t like)

No Mobile App

It was difficult to keep track of the amount of data used. As Kite.Mobi does not have an app, you’ll have to log in through your phone’s browser and check your data usage through your browser. This may be a hassle if your browser logs you out and you constantly have to re-login. I don’t think this is a deal breaker but it is something that can make the experience much more seamless than having to open up my phone’s browser. However, I also know of people that hate downloading apps; so to each their own.

Caller ID

There is no Caller ID for Kite.Mobi’s eSIMs, which means that you will not be able to make or receive local calls. Though Caller IDs may not be very important in this era as there are various ways of contact through the Internet, Caller IDs may still be required when making reservations, especially for countries like Japan, whereby many restaurants do not accept reservations online.

Also Read: 6D Kyoto and Osaka Itinerary

Kite.Mobi has mentioned that they will be implementing the Caller ID function in 2024.

Cost

Kite.Mobi eSIMs start at US$4 and there is a top up option if you run out of data.

Setting Up The eSIM

Getting an eSIM from Kite.Mobi is pretty straightforward. Before purchasing, you will be prompted to check if your mobile phone is eSIM compatible. Once you confirmed that your mobile phone is eSIM compatible, select your destination and data bundle, and make payment. A QR code will appear on the screen, and you will also receive an order confirmation email. The email will contain a link to your order information.

Just scan the QR code and the eSIM setup will automatically run on your mobile phone.

If you don’t want to set up your eSIM right after purchasing, you can click the link in the email for your order information and QR when you’re ready. It was a fairly simple process, my only gripe was that the confirmation email did not contain the QR code, so I had to click on the link in the email to be redirected to my browser in order to get the QR code.

Connectivity

I’ve tried the Malaysia eSIM in 2 countries thus far, in Singapore and Malaysia, and connectivity in both countries was great.

However, as Kite.Mobi taps on local networks, it can also largely depend on how strong the local telco’s networks are. For example, in Singapore, the Kite.Mobi eSIM runs on the Singtel network, one of the largest telcos in Singapore, so connectivity around the country was not an issue.

Overall Rating

Kite.Mobi has been easy to use but I would like it if there had been a mobile app so that I could access all the information without having to open up my browser. However, for the cost, I think it is a decent and convenient option without having to switch out your physical SIM card or search for a booth at the airport.

Cost: 4/5
Connectivity: 4/5 (location dependant)
Ease of use: 4/5
Able to hotspot: YES

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Kite.Mobi/Kite Mobile legit?

Yes, they are. They are a new company in the eSIMs industry, newly established in 2023.

Do Kite.Mobi eSIMs come with Caller ID?

Kite.Mobi eSIMs do not come with caller id currently, but they are looking to implement that in 2024.

Disclaimer: Kite.Mobi invited us to try out their service, but all opinions in this piece are strictly our own. There are affiliate links in the post and a purchase through these links earns us a small commission. If you found this post useful, do consider making a purchase through the link, it greatly supports our ongoing work!